GDT: Game #9 Preds @ Blues

[SirPaste]

A lot of overreaction in this thread, every team is gonna get stomped at least a couple games year, tonight was one of those nights, lets give some credit to Nashville, they took advantage of us looking slow and sloppy out of the gate. Lets just get back to our opening day line up and play great next game. I guarantee we wont remember this game a couple weeks from now

 

[TheOrganist]

I was at the game and it sucked.

Interesting dynamic developing where the Blues are more talented than last year but seem to be slightly losing their identity in the process. Lots of giveaways, lots of high risk plays, easier to play against, not quite as gritty....yet our power play and upgraded offense has masked a lot of these issues.

As Hitch said, you could kind of see this one coming a bit and it would probably be a team like Nashville that would expose these early season flaws.

That said, I'm comfortable that these are correctable things and they haven't even played 10 games.

But man did they suck.

 

[izzy]

Glad i missed the game tonight (Got hit in the face with a puck, 4 stitches in mouth, could lose up to 4 teeth).

What was the main problem tonight?

 

[Lord Helix]

Glad i missed the game tonight (Got hit in the face with a puck, 4 stitches in mouth, could lose up to 4 teeth).

What was the main problem tonight?

Not wearing a cage.

 

[uncommonsense52]

Glad i missed the game tonight (Got hit in the face with a puck, 4 stitches in mouth, could lose up to 4 teeth).

What was the main problem tonight?

You know it's a bad game when you'd rather take a puck to the grill than watch it. Seriously dude, good luck on recovery!

The problem tonight was, imo, just not a lot of effort.

 

[taylord22]

I don't want to critisize individuals on such a bad game, but I can't help myself:

Someone needs to tell Chris Stewart that the book is out on him backhand flipping and skating to the weak side of defenders, and someone needs to tell Alex Steen that no d-man in the West will be fooled again by driving wide and pulling a 180...microcosms, but both players lost the puck a half-dozen times repeating the same play...and have done so with consistency over the last 2-3.

...also, how is TJ Oshie the only player that's willing to lean in and take the puck to the net?!

...probably not fair, but Oshie and Frank were far and away the only effective players we had tonight (with HMs to offensive zone Petro, Berglund and Sobotka -- at times)...and that's taking into consideration Frank's multiple bouts of unselfishness which led to giveaways...

I'm ready for a line-up shake-up...at least for a game. We look lost in the offensive zone...dead-set on running cycles even it means chipping the puck to a handcuffed player.

 

[Big Al 2]

I was at the game, boy did Jackman look bad. Lost numerous puck battles but I guess that could be said for the whole team.

 

[izzy]

Not wearing a cage.

You know it's a bad game when you'd rather take a puck to the grill than watch it. Seriously dude, good luck on recovery!

The problem tonight was, imo, just not a lot of effort.

Nah, switched to a visor 2 months ago. Wish I didn't =/

Kind of off topic but,

 

[kypredsfan]

Don't worry blues, you all are better than that. Just like we are better than the 3-0 absolute domination you all put on us 2 weeks ago. I doubt you all play like that again anytime soon.

 

[brendan]

A lot of overreaction in this thread, every team is gonna get stomped at least a couple games year, tonight was one of those nights, lets give some credit to Nashville, they took advantage of us looking slow and sloppy out of the gate. Lets just get back to our opening day line up and play great next game. I guarantee we wont remember this game a couple weeks from now

Exactly my thoughts

 

[TheOrganist]

I don't want to critisize individuals on such a bad game, but I can't help myself:

Someone needs to tell Chris Stewart that the book is out on him backhand flipping and skating to the weak side of defenders, and someone needs to tell Alex Steen that no d-man in the West will be fooled again by driving wide and pulling a 180...microcosms, but both players lost the puck a half-dozen times repeating the same play...and have done so with consistency over the last 2-3.

...also, how is TJ Oshie the only player that's willing to lean in and take the puck to the net?!

...probably not fair, but Oshie and Frank were far and away the only effective players we had tonight (with HMs to offensive zone Petro, Berglund and Sobotka -- at times)...and that's taking into consideration Frank's multiple bouts of unselfishness which led to giveaways...

I'm ready for a line-up shake-up...at least for a game. We look lost in the offensive zone...dead-set on running cycles even it means chipping the puck to a handcuffed player.

You mention Steen. I've been worried about him for a while now. I feel like his puck skills and general on-ice awareness have deteriorated to an alarming degree since returning from his head injury. This was one of the best two-way players in the NHL before the concussion and he just hasn't been nearly as effective.

3 goals in his last 24 games including playoffs.

I don't find him to be very effective as the point-man on the power play. He always shoots yet never gets shots through. Four power play assists in his last 24 games played despite seeing a crazy amount of PP time.

Wondering if anyone else feels the same about Steen?

 

[taylord22]

You mention Steen. I've been worried about him for a while now. I feel like his puck skills and general on-ice awareness have deteriorated to an alarming degree since returning from his head injury. This was one of the best two-way players in the NHL before the concussion and he just hasn't been nearly as effective.

3 goals in his last 24 games including playoffs.

I don't find him to be very effective as the point-man on the power play. He always shoots yet never gets shots through. Four power play assists in his last 24 games played despite seeing a crazy amount of PP time.

Wondering if anyone else feels the same about Steen?

91 and 10 look lost on how to play a pressure game with him. Not sure if it's a symptom of needing a big body, or if the line was structured in a way that was always meant to be solely a counter strike line, but I've felt very lukewarm on his offensive decisions this year. That said, there are only 3-4 guys who have been head and shoulder above him on the cycle/with the puck.

Backes and Berglund have been criticized more, but their dumps and cycles have been off the charts comparatively. And Oshie has turned into an entry/cycle master. Too bad he has a weak snap shot.

Regardless, the defense and neutral zone play of the entire team is the root of the problem.

 

[moolah3i4]

Unless Ian Walsh and Chris Lee are refs, we'll be OK for next game!

 

[Big Al 2]

Hitch will have them ready to go Thursday

 

[Note Worthy]

Was at the game tonight. Not much to say except total team loss.

Poor goaltending, poor offensive zone movement (at times), way too many giveaways. It looked as if the Blues didn't want to be out there. Embarrassing, but it happens.

Here's to Thursday against the Wings.

 

[bluesman11]

I agree with Hitchcock that what happened last night was coming for a while now; some of the individuals on this team are starting to believe they're an offense first team. But the truth is this still needs to be defense first team, with this teams overall depth they'll get back to their dominant selves. But if they don't they will continue to give up way too many scoring chances.

They're still young so I believe they'll learn from these mistakes and eventually turn it around.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

There will be nights like this but against that offensive Juggernaut Nashville? C'mon man...

 

[Harley83]

I agree that bad nights happen but if the lack of grit wasn't obvious look forward to many of bad nights to come. St. Louis lacks toughness and they can forget being competitive in the playoffs if they aren't willing to defend their goaltender. Some of the best goaltenders in the league have defensemen that are willing to hammer it out down low for them. Nashville did that last night for Rinne, St. Louis needs to be doing that for Jaro/Ells . St. Louis has one of the best depth in a roster but that means nothing if you can put the heart and will behind it.

 

[DatDude44]

anybody else still kinda wish we had Nikita Nikitin? I thought he was solid with us and could've developed to be a decent partner for petro at this point. good size, great gap control, soft hands, hard shot and was smart with the puck on his stick.He's not gonna look as good on the stat sheet or even play as well as he could in the wasteland some call columbus than if he had been here all this and last year and kept developing with us.

Idk... it just kinda has me thinking. Nothing against russell i just feel like someone like nikitin could have a bigger impact for us now than russell does... like i said tho it just has me thinking. I'm not saying he would be the answer or anything, just wanna hear your guys thoughts.

 

[Meatwagon]

Last night was bound to happen. They have been playing poorly for the last 4 games, and tonight it caught up to them in a big way.

Our goaltending right now is my biggest concern. I knew they wouldn't replicate last years numbers, but I didn't expect a sub .900 sv%. You could see the energy just get sucked out of the team after the second crap goal.

Oh well, Nashville stomped us fair and square. The boys better take a good look in the mirror because they have gotten away from their style of play and it's time they find it again.

 

[TheOrganist]

The penalty kill also continues to be atrocious. Hard to put all the fault on the skaters when you look at the power play save percentage of our two netminders:

Elliott - .739
Halak - .765

Elliott was only behind Cory Schneider and Johan Hedberg last year in that stat among goalies who saw over 100 power play shots.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. For the Blues to be competitive we have to be playing an entire team game with everybody buying in. Right now we've just got an entire team of individuals. Steen looks awful right now compared to the level he's been at before. Cole needs to play again. Redden is too slow to keep up with Petro. Oh and not giving up soft goals would be nice. Not to blame Elliott entirely, but that second goal was atrocious. My 10 year old brother could have stopped that one. And before everybody flames me for it, yes I know there was a huge defensive breakdown on that goal, but Brian Elliott is an NHL goalie. He needs to make that simple pad save. That was the turning point. You could tell they were just totally deflated. For us to make a run this year, we are going to need Jaro at peak form.

 

[The Note]

No more GDT making for me is the real lesson to take out of all this

 

[Harley83]

I get that goalie can be a demanding position on the joints but I hope Halak doesn't fall into the Hasek pattern. Somehow always injured during the regular season and miraculously healing right before the playoffs.

 

[GrandPapillon*]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. For the Blues to be competitive we have to be playing an entire team game with everybody buying in. Right now we've just got an entire team of individuals. Steen looks awful right now compared to the level he's been at before. Cole needs to play again. Redden is too slow to keep up with Petro. Oh and not giving up soft goals would be nice. Not to blame Elliott entirely, but that second goal was atrocious. My 10 year old brother could have stopped that one. And before everybody flames me for it, yes I know there was a huge defensive breakdown on that goal, but Brian Elliott is an NHL goalie. He needs to make that simple pad save. That was the turning point. You could tell they were just totally deflated. For us to make a run this year, we are going to need Jaro at peak form.

Steen isn't a center. Maple Leafs had him there. He wasn't very good there and got traded.